


A Throne of Stone

by bridges



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-17
Updated: 2013-02-17
Packaged: 2017-11-29 15:19:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/688447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bridges/pseuds/bridges
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fili had wanted the simple life. Thorin didn't. After the Battle of the Five Armies he wants it too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Throne of Stone

**Author's Note:**

> For this prompt at the hobbit-kink livejournal community by anonymous:
> 
> After they were kids but before they embarked on their journey, Fíli and Kíli are young adults perfectly fit for work, and it's not as if the family is so wealthy they don't need some extra income.
> 
> So why is Thorin insisting that they learn how to fight, rather than work, Fíli asks. What if they don't want to reclaim that dragon infested hole, and just have a richless but comfortable life in the Blue Mountains?
> 
> These are the times when Thorin likes Kíli more than Fíli, cos he never asks uncomfortable questions like that.
> 
> P.S.: Imagine how shitty Thorin feels remembering this conversation after his nephews are dead.
> 
> http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/4373.html?thread=9188885#t9188885

Thorin starts the day like every other since he has reclaimed his throne in Erebor, after a long time standing at death’s door and finally not stepping through. 

He puts on his clothes. He braids his hair, his beard. He dons the crown. He listens to the morning report from Balin. He takes care of any urgent business before breaking fast. 

Then he takes a stroll through Erebor, a different one every day. His feet carry him through the mountain, past bowing dwarrows, under high crystalline ceilings or through dark tunnels. 

Always, without fail his journey ends at the same place. 

Sometimes he thinks the mountain itself strives to remind him of his sins. Sometimes he thinks his forefathers designed the maze of their home to enforce the memory of their roots, those who came beofre. 

Thorin knows this trail of thought to be false - recently this place housed those who came after.

It is a dark place, despite being situated within the top of the mountain to let day-light reach the cold, sparkling stone-slabs. It is a cold place, rainbows of light filtered through gems and reflected on precious metals painted on the walls.

_He should have listened to Fili._

Fili, the older, the one designated his heir, his sister-son and almost (but not quite) his own son through nurture. 

One dreary evening Thorin had nearly taken off Fili’s head during fighting lessons.

_“I don’t need to learn this. I should learn a smith’s work or another craft. It would be more profitable than this.”_

_“We have a life, Uncle, we do not need another one.”_

_“Erebor’s beyond our reach, we could live here, peacefully! Why risk injury or death for a long-gone dream?!”_

He had raged at Fili and the boy (even with a beard, grown, he would always, always be his boy) had stormed off and then come back quivering under his disappointed gaze, apologized.

Kili had delighted in being favoured for a while.

Fili had seen the truth. 

Had he listened to his - his - sister-son (never quite sons, but sons all the same, the both of them) he would still have them.

He hadn’t. 

He didn’t.

Afterwards he always took the direct path to the throne-room.

He sat on the throne made of stone and talked to his people and listened to their concerns. He sat on his throne made of stone and received lauded envoys and high guests. 

He sat on his throne made of stone and thought of his throne made of hay in a small smithy with his sister-sons on his knees.


End file.
